2016 -2017 CURRICULUM MAP for

_____7th Grade Science_____

_Nick Ciambrone, Heidi Phillips, Terrie Lyons__

SUBJECT/GRADE

UNIT

The
Atmosphere

D
A
T
E

CONTENT/ KEY
AND RELATED
CONCEPTS

GLOBAL CONTEXT
EXPLORATION

Relationships
Interaction
Balance

Orientation in
Space and Time

Fronts,
Systems and
Predicting
Weather/
Wind and Air
Quality

STATEMENT OF
INQUIRY

Change
Environment
Transformatio
n

Globalization
and
Sustainability

Human
relationships
with the
environment
affect the
interaction
and balance
of finite
resources in
the past,
present, and
future.
Humans have
the ability to
change and
transform the
environment
locally and
globally.
.

TEACHER NAME(S)

INQUIRY QUESTIONS

IB Criterion and
STRANDS

NCSCOS STANDARDS

Factual

Knowing and
Understanding

7.E.1.1: Students will be able to compare the

composition and structure of Earths atmosphere to
include: mixtures of gases and differences in
temperature and pressure within layers. Students
will know that nitrogen is the main gas in the
atmosphere. They will also know the temperature
changes that occur with increasing altitude in the
different layers of the atmosphere. Students will
know that pressure differences exist on earth and
that they change depending on altitude.

What is the structure and composition of the atmosphere?

What is the relationship between temperature/pressure
and altitude?
What are the different types of cloud formations?
What are the different steps of the water cycle?
What are the four different types of air masses?

-describe scientific
knowledge

Reflecting on the
Impacts of Science
-Apply scientific knowledge
effectively

Conceptual
How do relationships remain balanced?
How do the interactions of different relationships affect
the global community?
Debatable
Do the citizens of the United States have a responsibility to
maintain the balanced relationship of atmospheric gases?
Factual
What models and tools help meteorologists see weather
systems developing?
What transformations occur in the atmosphere due to the
rotation of the Earth?
What affects air quality?
Conceptual
How can change lead to transformations?
Debatable
Is it the responsibility of humans to change the
environmental transformations that have developed in the
past 100 years?

Reflecting on the
impacts of science
-Describing the ways in
which science is applied
and used to address a
specific problem or issue.
-Discuss and analyze the
various implications of
using science and its
application in solving a
specific problem or issue

Inquiring and
Designing
-Describe a problem or

7.E.1.2: Students will know that there is a finite

amount of water on earth and that it is transported
over earth in a process known as the water cycle.
Students will know each part of the water cycle and
will also know how the different types of clouds are
formed in the process. Students know the role of
the sun in the cycling of water over earth.
7.E.1.3: Students will know that air masses that form
over land will be dry and those forming over water
will be moist. Students will know that air masses
that form in polar regions or at higher latitudes will
be cold and those that form closer to the equator
will be tropical. Students know the symbols used for
air masses (mT, mP, cT and cP).
7.E.1.3: Students will explain the relationship
between the movement of air masses, high and low
pressure systems, and frontal boundaries to storms
(including thunderstorms, hurricanes, and
tornadoes) and other weather conditions that may
result.
7.E.1.4: Students will be able to analyze local
weather data to predict future weather and to
explain trends in weather/climate over a period of
time. Students will also know how to read a weather
map.
7.E.1.5: Students will be able to explain the influence
of convection, global winds and the jet stream on
weather and climatic conditions.
7.E.1.6: Students will be able to explain why the
good health of humans requires monitoring the
atmosphere, maintaining air quality and
stewardship.

question to be tested by a
scientific investigation

Single
Celled
Organisms
and Plants
and
Animals

Aesthetics
Form, Function

Hierarchic
al
Organizati
on
and Body
Systems

UNIT

Systems
Form,
Interactions

D
A
T
E

CONTENT/KEY
AND RELATED
CONCEPTS

Scientific and
Technical
Innovation

The
aesthetics of
an object
comes from
the form and
function of
that object
through its
adaptation to
its
surroundings.

Factual
What can organisms do to adapt to their surroundings?
What forms and functions of single celled organisms differ?
What form and functions are different between plant and animal
cells?
Conceptual

Knowing and
Understanding
-Describe scientific
knowledge
-Apply scientific knowledge
and understanding to solve
problems set in familiar
and unfamiliar situations.

7.L.1.1 Students will know the structures and life

functions of single-celled organisms that carry out all
of the basic functions of life including: Euglena,
Amoeba, Paramecium and Volvox.
7.L.1.2 Students will know the structures and
functions of plant and animal cells, including major
organelles (cell membrane, cell wall, nucleus,
chloroplasts, mitochondria, lysosomes and
vacuoles).

How can the function of living things help identify its form?
Debatable
Can the aesthetics of a living creature be used to define how it
has adapted to its surroundings?

Identities and
Relationships

Systems take
form that will
promote
interactions
between
individuals
and the
community
they live in.

Factual

What is the order of biological organization?

What ways do the human body systems interact with each

other to sustain life?

What are the different forms that make up the human

body?
Conceptual

How do body systems interact with each other?

How are body systems different depending on genetic

makeup and the community you live in?
Debatable
Should schools include systems that help students take care of
their health?

GLOBAL CONTEXT
EXPLORATION

STATEMENT OF
INQUIRY

INQUIRY QUESTIONS

Processing and
Evaluating
-Discuss the validity of a
hypothesis based on the
outcome of the scientific
investigation
Processing and
Evaluating
-Discuss the validity of the
method
-Describe improvements or
extensions to the method

IB OBJECTIVES and
STRANDS

7.L.1.3 Students will summarize the hierarchical

organization of multi-cellular organisms from cells to
tissues to organs to systems to organisms.
7.L.1.4 Students will summarize the general
functions of the major systems of the human body
(digestion, respiration, reproduction, circulation, and
excretion) and ways that these systems interact with
each other to sustain life.

NCSCOS STANDARDS

Identities and
Relationships

Errors in
communicati
on often lead
to
consequences
which can
affect
relationships
and wellbeing.

Factual
What is the difference between mitosis and meiosis?
What information can Punnett Squares and Pedigrees
provide?
What is crossing over?
What are potential consequences when mitosis, meiosis, or
crossing-over fail to occur correctly?
Conceptual
How can communication affect relationships?
Debatable
Would you want information about your genetic makeup that
could be a consequence to your health?

Reflecting on the
impacts of science
-Describe the ways in
which science is applied
and used to address a
specific problem or issue
-apply scientific
language effectively

7.L.2.1: Students will know that somatic (body) cells

go through the process of mitosis in order to grow
and divide. Students will know each phase of mitosis.
Students know that cells can grow and divide
through budding, binary fission and regeneration as
well as mitosis. Students will know that meiosis
produces greater variation as a result of crossing
over in chromosomes. Students know that there are
similarities between meiosis and mitosis, but that
mitosis is a form of asexual reproduction and meiosis
is a form of sexual reproduction.
7.L.2.2: Students will know how to determine the
probability of inheriting certain traits by using a
Punnett Square. Students will know the difference
between homozygous and heterozygous as well as
dominant and recessive so that they can accurately
set up Punnett Squares for crosses between
organisms. Students know how to determine modes
of inheritance for genetic diseases. Students will
know how to analyze a pedigree as well as how to
create one.

Culture
Evidence
Environment

Personal and
Cultural
Expression

There is
evidence that
our
environment
creates
culture.

Factual

What is the difference between nature and nurture?

What do genes code for?

What happens if your development is exposed to a negative

environment?
Conceptual

How does our environment transform who we are?

How do we collect evidence that culture influences our

development?
Debatable
In the nature versus nurture debate, which aspect influences
culture and who you are?

Inquiring and Designing

-Describe how to
manipulate the variables
and describe how data
will be collected
-Design scientific
investigation

7.L.2.3: Students know that the probability of

inheriting a specific genetic disease is based on not
just genes, but also on behavioral and environmental
factors.

Relationships

Globalization
and
Sustainability

The patterns
of interaction
in
relationships
display the
interconnecte
dness of our
world.

Factual

What are Newtons Three Laws of Motion?

What is the pattern that is displayed in calculating speed?

What pattern is displayed in motion and force?

Conceptual

How do forces interact with each other?

How does the interaction of Newtons laws relate to the

way the world is connected?
Debatable
Should relationships between interacting forces be a focus of
NASA on their space missions?

Processing and
Evaluating

7.P.1.1: Students know that the motion of an object

can be described by its position, direction of motion
and speed with respect to some other object.
7.P.1.3: Students know how to illustrate the motion
of an object using a graph to show a change in
position over a period of time. Students will be able
to create a data table for distances and times of an
object and will then graph the motion of the object.
Students will be able to analyze the graph to
describe the change in speed of the object over time
in sentence form.
7.P.1.4: Students know how to interpret distance
versus time graphs for constant speed and variable
motion. Students know that a horizontal line on a
distance-time graph means that the object is at rest.
Students will be able to calculate the speed of an
object by analyzing a distance-time graph.
7.P.1.2: Students know that a force is a push or a
pull and that forces can influence an objects motion.
Students also know that Unbalanced forces can

Mitosis
and
Meiosis/
Punnett
Squares
and
Pedigrees

Communicatio
n

Nature vs
Nurture

Motion
and
Forces

Consequences

Patterns,
Interactions

-present collected and

transformed data
-interpret data and
describe results using
scientific reasoning

Inquiring and Designing

-describe a problem or
question to be tested by a
scientific investigation

change the direction and speed of an object in

motion. Students know that balanced forces acting
on an object result in a constant motion or an object
that is stationary. Students will be able to identify
and explain the variables that act on moving objects,
such as gravity and air resistance.

Energy
Transfer/
Simple
Machines

System
Energy, Forms

Scientific and
Technical
Innovation

Energy in a
system allow
the
development
of new forms
of doing work
which lead to
technologies
to advance
civilization.

Factual

What is the forms of energy used in a nuclear power plant?

Why do engineers look for machines that provide

mechanical advantage on construction sites?

What types of energy are necessary in advancing

technologies?
Conceptual

How do different forms of energy help with technological

innovation?

How is energy vital to the Earth system?

Debatable
Should the United States be responsible for building new systems
in other countries which allow energy to be transferred more
efficiently?

Knowing and
Understanding
-apply scientific knowledge
and understanding to solve
problems set in familiar
and unfamiliar situations

7.P.2.1: Students will be able to calculate the

mechanical energy of a system by observing the
potential and kinetic energy in the system.
7.P.2.2: Students will be able to explain why objects
have more potential energy when higher up
compared to lower down and why objects that are
moving fast have kinetic energy. Students will be
able to use mass, gravity, height and velocity to
explain the transfer of potential and kinetic energy in
a system.
7.P.2.3: Students know that if an object does not
move a distance, that no work was done. Students
will also know the difference between a series and a
parallel circuit.
7.P.2.4: Students will be able to explain how simple
machines such as inclined planes, pulleys, levers and
wheel and axels are used to create mechanical
advantage and increase efficiency.